Winona LaDuke and Climate Change - Essay Example

LaDuke seeks to increase the first nation’s resilience in environmental justice. For example, in speaking out concerning climate change, the author seeks to promote the use of alternative sources of energy. The author identifies climate change as a human rights issue that has greatly affected the Pacific Islanders, Indigenous people, and Local-Land based communities due to their dependency on activities such as hunting, fishing and gathering rights. The dependency on fossil fuels has also resulted in health issues such as respiratory and infectious disease.

The author also observes that the economic and cultural displacement in the society has also been in an attempt to access fossil energy. There are native solutions that greatly aid the country’s environmental sustainability. LaDuke observes that wind energy can easily be utilized in twenty-three Indian Reservations in the Great Plains. LaDuke states that these regions can produce 300 gigawatts of power that is enough to meet the country’s needs. Solar energy is another alternative that can be utilized in The Great Lakes, North West and North Eastern regions including other tribal lands in the South Western.

The native solutions are beneficial as they promote local economies as they provide income, jobs and tax revenues. The native solutions respect the traditions and the responsibilities of the Aboriginal communities in protecting the sacredness of the earth. The issue of environmental justice is an important issue affecting societies on a global scale.